Erik Durm

Borussia Dortmund defender Erik Durm is likely to be sidelined after undergoing knee surgery on Wednesday yesterday, and Dortmund has not announced how long he will undergo absent. Durm only managed to perform as many as 32 games of 68 games planned for himself in the Bundesliga at the time because of an injury he got at the time of strengthening the German squad at the World Cup in 2014. After playing 18 matches for BVB in season 2014 -2015, Erik Durm have to miss the next match due to the knee problem. After the winter break he played back and planned to play for 20 games, but he can not appear in all of those games.

During this summer, Erik Durm was rumored to be returning from a knee injury that prevented him from practicing individually during pre-season. On Wednesday afternoon, Borussia Dortmund announced on Twitter that the defender has now had to undergo another surgery to remove inflamed tissue from his right knee.

It is yet clear if he could make it to any of the matches in the league because he is yet again suffering from near-constant knee problems, an injury he had suffered from last year. If he could make it back this year, Borussia Dortmund could actually take the title after being the runners-up last year. That is if Durm will show more than that of the kind of performance he had in Bundesliga. His current market value is 5 million Euros.

Lars Stindl

Lars Stindl is Borussia’s new captain. In the first league game of the season he led the same against Bayer Leverkusen, he scored the winning goal. He dedicated his first goal of the season to his family: “There was for my wife and my daughter,” Stindl declared his “Daumenlutscher,” his jubilation after the successful game.

After the game, Stindl said in an interview that it was an intense week. “The game against Leverkusen was the start of the season for us. We wanted to win it, after we had mastered the play-offs and the DFB Cup sovereign. Now it came to a good start. Both teams have a lot invested. We had a few problems because Leverkusen has put us under pressure. But we had from the beginning the clearer chances – and then go at the right time in the lead. After the break it was a bit on the edge, then we thought that we have it in the bag. But the balance still falls unhappy. After that, it is sensational as we can give impetus again when thorgan hazard comes into play.”

Gladbach captain Lars Stindl’s accurate cross from Raffael on their 6-1 performance versus Young Boys was inspiring. Sintdl was the attacking midfielder on their game vs Leverkusen, and he had superb possessions of the ball which gave his time the upperhand. His late score versus Leverkusen (though a little bit offside), sealed their victory.  His current market value is 11 million Euros.

Tony Jantschke

Last year Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Tony Jantschke had injury woes and he missed three months of the Bundesliga season. Whoscored rates him wtih 6.59 score, way below the other German players. It is not yet sure if he could play this season.

One of the winners of the very early season with Borussia Moenchengladbach, the defender fought back after a personally very difficult year in 2015. In December last year, the 26-year-old tore in partly his anterior cruciate ligament, followed by a hamstring in the bar. Now the defensive all-rounder is fit again, is at the moment to set as main actor, “kicker” reported. So Jantschke stood in all four official matches so far in the starting line-up, only a dead leg forced him at home to Leverkusen to be substituted at half-time. With coach André Schubert, Jantschke has developed a standing after initial teething problems. Schubert praises his “strong preparation” and notes clear changes: “.. He has a very different body language than they were last season, Tony is very present and tactically mature.” Especially this tactical flexibility makes Jantschke currently indispensable for Schubert, who likes to change in the defense line between triple and quadruple chain.

His current market value is 6 million Euros.

The Bender Brothers

Lars and Sven Bender both play in central midfield, they began their careers at 1860 Munich before both departing in 2009, Lars for Bayen Leverkusen and Sven for Borussia Dortmund.

At the 2008 Under-19 European Championships, they were named jointly as the players of the tournament as Germany beat Italy 3-1 in the final, and after both missing out on the 2014 World Cup due to injury, they won silver medals at the recent Rio Olympics as two of the three over-23 players.  (Tony Bilton)

Lars Bender

In the first preparatory camp for the national team in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Lars Bender had a muscle tendon injury which destroyed his World Cup dream. The 25-year-old found himself on the couch instead of in Brazil again, missed the first three months under Leverkusen’s new coach Roger Schmidt, and yet immediately made him as a captain and driver upon his return to the team.

In an interview with sport.de, Bender talked about his emotional roller coaster. “My comeback after such big injury certainly is not always easy. But I am very happy for the present time, even as I am come through the games. Minor reactions are more easily tolerated. For me it was important to quickly find access. It is more challenging to implement the style of a new coach, if you could not pull in preparation. Then the victories did not only bring the team confidence, but also made it easier for me to adjust.”

After a superb performance in Rio 2016 where they won the silver medal (Die Mannschaft lost to host Brazil in the final via penalties), the captain of Leverkusen is out again for at least two weeks of the Bundesliga season due to ankle problem, though RP Online reports that Lars could be joining the team training next week.

His current market value is 18 million Euros.

Sven Bender

On the battle of the Bender brothers, Sven has this to say: “It has become more pleasant. When we played together before, everything was always double handled. Today we have our own team and and our own careers. Therefore, it is not a problem when from time to time issues come between us. However, what was disturbing in the past were always the same questions about the battle of brothers.”

Sven Bender is one of Borussia Dortmund´s shooting stars of the last couple of years. BVB´s new signing grabbed the chance to replace the injured skipper Sebastian Kehl with both hands. Sven Bender has impressed in the holding role in front of the defence by making the defence more stable and setting up attacks. (bvb.de)

BVB earned eight points in the four games Bender played for them. But the 20-year-old doesn´t like to be in the centre of attention, “The entire team is responsible for this success.” In an interview with BORUSSIA AKTUELL Bender talks about himself and his twin brother Lars who plays for Bayer Leverkusen, the first four months in Dortmund and his ambition to always aim higher. (bvb.de)

His interview with bvb.de is revealing of what we could expect from him. “Actually, I don´t see myself as a regular in this team yet. Due to the many injured players, it´s more a chance for me to show what I can. At the moment I´m doing quite good.”

His current market value is 11 million Euros, below that of his brother.

Manuel Neuer

Goals from Arturo Vidal and Thomas Müller may have sealed FC Bayern München’s 2-0 victory against Borussia Dortmund, but for many the Supercup was won by another commanding Manuel Neuer performance between the sticks.

After the game, the 30-year-old told the media of his delight at lifting the Supercup and discussed Bayern’s upcoming campaign.”There’s certainly no question that the Supercup has taken on more significance over the last few years. When you haven’t won it in the last three attempts, then it feels even better that we’ve finally managed it. Supercup winners – that feels good! I wouldn’t necessarily say that. In the last three years – as I’ve already said – other teams have won the Supercup, whether Dortmund or (VfL) Wolfsburg, but we were still crowned champions at the end of the season.” (Bundesliga.com)

Manuel Neuer has been appointed to replace Bastian Schweinsteiger as captain of Germany after the Manchester United midfielder bid farewell to Die Mannschaft in a friendly win over Finland on Wednesday (31 August). The emotional 2-0 victory at Borussia-Park in Monchengladbach was the 121st and final cap of a truly illustrious international career that began 12 years ago and also included a memorable World Cup triumph in 2014 before winding down with a semi-final defeat to hosts France at the recent European Championship. (ibtimes)

His current market value is 45 million Euros.